Recent Articles

  • 4 effective ways to address high turnover in your construction business

    Patrick Hogan Construction & Building Materials

    Construction HR managers admit that working in a construction site is not always a great experience for field employees. The work can be exhausting, not to mention the prospect of facing real dangers in the field. For this reason, construction HR managers are finding it difficult to retain skilled workers and attract new talent to fill jobs. Here are some of the ways you can improve employee engagement to address high turnover.

  • Research-backed tips for getting your content noticed on LinkedIn

    Sheilamary Koch Marketing

    The potential for leveraging relationships on LinkedIn is still on the upswing — with a 145% increase in users last year, LinkedIn’s growth topped all other social media networks. LinkedIn experts agree that creating quality content is one of the best ways to increase your visibility and build credibility on the network. You can showcase your leadership, expertise and personality by posting status updates and writing articles as well as engaging with other people’s posts. Here are some tips based on recent research for creating content people want to read and share.

  • CMS: ACOs are producing savings, physician-based models faring best

    Scott E. Rupp Healthcare Administration

    Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are paying off big time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said, with the programs generating more than $739 million in net savings in 2018. ACOs are designed to lower growth in expenditures and improve care quality. For its part, an ACO agrees to be held accountable for the quality, cost, and experience of care of an assigned Medicare beneficiary population. According to Health Affairs, ACOs that successfully meet quality and savings requirements share a percentage of the achieved savings with Medicare.

  • Supporting transgender students in schools

    Brian Stack Education

    In an Education Week article last month, author Madeline Will reported on what happens when school is a battleground for transgender kids. Will referenced research that "has found that compared to their non-transgender peers, transgender youth are more likely to miss school, have lower grades, and view their school climate negatively." Several years ago, the school board in the district where I work adopted a very progressive policy in an effort to extend equal and fair treatment to all students in all aspects of the district’s affairs, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

  • Have a spooktacular RV Halloween by decorating your campsite

    Connie Ulman Recreation & Leisure

    The month of ghosts, goblins, chilly nights and warm campfires is now upon us. Whether you are a full-timer, seasonal camper or one who camps only for the holidays, you have tons of options when it comes to decorating your campsite for a spooktacular RV Halloween! There are numerous ideas for turning your RV site into a Halloween party. The first that comes to mind is one I saw in Ohio. It used a hearse and coffins. As you walked by the coffins, you got the scare of your life.

  • I think my child has a reading disability. What should I do?

    Howard Margolis Education

    It’s 6 a.m. on the first day of school. It’s time for Julio to wash up, dress, make sure he packed all his school supplies, and have breakfast. He grumbles and says, "I’m not hungry. I don’t want to go to school. I won’t open a book." As his eyes well up with tears, he murmurs, "I can’t read. The other kids know. They’ll call me stupid." You ask yourself, "Does he have dyslexia? Some other reading disability?" Then you shutter. You fear the future. You’re certain Julio has a reading disability.

  • Up, up and away at 6 top hot air balloon festivals

    Dave G. Houser Recreation & Leisure

    Few man-made sights are as colossal and colorful as hundreds of hot air balloons ascending from a picturesque natural setting into a clear blue sky. It’s an awe-inspiring spectacle that draws millions of attendees to hot air balloon festivals across the United States each year. Balloons may be the big attraction — but these festivals offer plenty more, including live music, food and other forms of family entertainment. So, if you’re ready for a truly uplifting experience — check out one or more of these top-notch hot air balloon festivals.

  • Mark your calendar

    Debra Josephson Abrams Education

    What day is it? Your answer could be anything from Monday through Sunday. But if you ask me, I could easily say, "It’s National Women’s Equality Day! It’s National Dog Day! It’s National Cherry Popsicle Day!" (August 26, as I write this. Of course, there is a National Cat Day, October 29.) Whatever day it is, it’s a good day to explore an adaptable activity that engages as much integrated content as you choose, including language skills, history, government, and civics, cultures, and physics and math as well as critical and creative thinking and analysis, multiple intelligences, and learning styles.

  • Federal court ruling could produce fresh air in more ways than one

    Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & Environmental

    From fossil fuel extraction to wilderness and pollution protections, legal environmental battles continue to be a most memorable Trump-era hallmark. While it’s a mixed bag of tricks overall, a recent federal ruling upholding EPA standards provides a breath of fresh air in ongoing environmental struggles that require staying power in the epic battle against climate catastrophe. Recently, pollution reduction requirements for states producing smog that "travels" across state lines were upheld among a three-judge panel in a federal appeals court.

  • 3 ways to stop good employees from leaving

    Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    I was recently hired to coach a COO who was having a hard time retaining people on his team. When I interviewed his current direct reports and people who had left, I heard the same complaints. "Working for him is like a guessing game. We don't know what our roles are or what we are supposed to do." We presented our findings along with our recommendations for change. Below are three reasons employees were leaving, along with ways to get them to stay.